LONDON, May 8: PPP co-chairman Asif Ali Zardari accompanied by the prime minister’s adviser on interior, Rehman Malik, arrived here on Thursday evening for what is termed as the final round of talks with PML-N leader Nawaz Sharif on the issue of reinstatement of the deposed judges.

PML-N president Shahbaz Sharif and federal Minister for Petroleum and Natural Resources Khwaja Asif also travelled on the same aircraft. They are here to assist Nawaz Sharif in the talks.

Soon after his arrival, Mr Zardari is reported to have checked into a hotel. Though not yet confirmed, his sister Azra is said to have accompanied him because ostensibly Mr Zardari is here to make a courtesy call on the Sharif family to inquire after the health of Mrs Kulsom Nawaz who underwent an operation earlier this week.

But till the filing of this report, no activity of any significance was noticed in this regard. And informed sources said that substantive talks would be held only on Friday.

Meanwhile, it is learnt that Mr Rehman Malik is likely to call on MQM leader Altaf Hussain on Thursday evening or early on Friday to perhaps discuss modalities for a Zardari-Altaf summit.

During his stay here, Mr Zardari is also likely to meet his son Bilawal Bhutto Zardari, the chairman of the PPP.

On Wednesday evening, Mr Nawaz Sharif attended a reception hosted in the House of Lords by Lord Nazir Ahmed.

Mr Sharif told the gathering that the coalition government and the leadership of the PPP and PML-N were committed to democracy, rule of law and the supremacy of parliament.

He blamed successive military rule for continued political and economic instability in Pakistan. He said his elected government had been ousted in October 1999 by a military “adventurer” for no rhyme or reason, “but I suspect that the establishment did not like my Indian peace initiatives which had led to the first-ever state visit of an Indian prime minister to Pakistan when Mr Vajpayee, the then prime minister of India, came to Lahore on board a bus.”

“This perhaps was my crime and I was made to pay for it,” he added.